


Until Next Time

by inviernos



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Could be read as Sania/Gladio tbh, F/M, Gen, Gladio Fluff Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 20:37:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14838768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inviernos/pseuds/inviernos
Summary: When they first arrived at Hammerhead all Gladio wanted was to finally take a break.  But instead he finally got the chance to meet someone he would have never expected to see along the way.Alternatively: what Gladio and Sania were chatting aboutby themselves in Hammerhead.





	Until Next Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This was written for day 7 of Gladio fluff week for the free day.
> 
> I was on vacation the entire week before so didn't have much time to write but did want to at least get this up :)
> 
> This is also the first time I wrote and posted something completely from my phone so I apologize for any weird formatting or any typos I may have missed.

Pushing the Regalia for any distance the rest of the way to Hammerhead hadn't been in his plans at all.  At this point Gladiolus had definitely had his fill of the dry desert air. He shouldn't have been surprised that even with switching places, the other boys put the brunt of the work on him; the “perks” of being his size, really.  And even now that they had made it and Cindy was working on the car, there was still work to do. But they could afford a few moments of rest before getting started on her favors. At that point they deserved it.

 

Gladio was looking forward to finally getting the chance to rest his muscles and made his way to follow the rest of the guys into the station.  As he glanced around the station he noticed a trailer selling weapons. He looked closer, scoping out the wares from a distance, until he noticed someone chatting animatedly with the vendor.

 

He knew her, but he couldn't immediately place her.  Gladio thought on where he could have possibly known her from as he watched her talk to the other man.  He tried to recall; the brown hair kept in two ponytails under the red hat...her big brown eyes, but he continued to come up empty.  And just when he thought he had it Noctis pulled him from his train of thought.

 

“You coming man?” He called from the door.

 

“Yeah, on my…” Gladio was cut off by the distant sound of a frog croaking.

 

That was it.

 

“Sania....Yeagre….,” Gladio said happily to himself as he recalled exactly where he knew the woman from.

 

He had read many of her publishings before and was admittedly a huge fan of both her writings and her dedication to her research.  There was nothing more he wanted at that moment than to go say hi and tell her how much he enjoyed her work. After all, he didn't have the chance to talk to people like her very often.

 

“What?” Noctis asked.

 

“You guys go on ahead,” said Gladio as he glanced over in the woman's direction.  Before he turned around he saw Noctis just barely roll his eyes.

 

“We'll be inside then,” said Noctis.  “Don't take too long.”

 

Gladio let out an amused laugh.

 

He confidently walked over to the weapons stand, pretending to be more interested in the various swords at first as he listened and waited for a good time to introduce himself.  

 

In his line of work Gladio knew how to read most situations, but in spite of his brave stance part of him was still nervous and feeling like he looked too obvious.  He hoped his sudden presence didn't put her off and that she wouldn't be gone faster than he could think, not having said anything at all.

 

“And these daggers?  Made of a superior metal, you say…” he heard her ask in a very impressed voice.

 

“Only the best titanium,” the man replied.  “These are honestly a steal compared to what my brothers out there are selling them for.”

 

“Tempting…” she said to herself.

 

_ So the stories are true.   _ Gladio had heard rumors of the destruction the “Redcap Killer" may or may not have left behind at certain sites.  He thought to himself about the possibility of even helping her scope out weapons as he busied himself with the small display of greatswords.

 

“Hmm.”  Gladio picked up the handle of a sword that had a nice weight to it.  It was shiny, not yet dulled by continuous use, and had a nice design engraved along one edge. He would have seriously considered it if he knew Ignis wouldn't yell at him for wasting money they didn't have so early into their trip.

 

“You!”  A voice he had become very familiar with not so long ago startled him.  His head swirled as the sword he had been admiring slipped slightly from his grasp.  His mind started saying a thousand things to him at once about replying to her quickly and not letting the sword hit the ground. 

 

He was able to carefully grab the sword by the handle, at least avoiding having damaged it and having to pay more money he already didn't have.  Unfortunately, his mind was still having trouble with responding to Sania in a timely manner.

 

“Wh-” He cleared his throat; maybe he'd been more impressed by the sword than he had thought.  

 

“Excuse me,” he quickly regained his composure.

 

“Can I help you?” he asked in a more relaxed tone.  He finally had his way in.

 

“You look like you know your way around a weapon or two, yes.  What do you think of these daggers,” she asked.

 

Daggers had always been more of Ignis’ area of expertise but Gladio could still talk his way around this one.  They looked lightweight but sturdy. Suitable for her size and easy to travel with. He thought they'd be a good purchase for her.  But he wasn’t able to vocalize his opinions as easily as he thought he would be.

 

“I think they're nice. At least they seem nice,” she cut right in again.  “But you can never be too sure you know?”

 

“Yea-” Gladio tried to squeeze in.

 

“I just want them to last,” she trailed off.

 

“I’ve seemed to have a lot of…” she paused, seeming to think carefully before trusting that she could tell Gladio this before continuing.  

 

“Well it seems like it's been a little harder to keep the things I use to defend myself in tip-top shape lately.”

 

Gladiolus understood her worries. In her field she was out alone in the wilderness most of the time, and he'd been hearing stories of increasing daemon activity once the sun went down.  It was no surprise she actually was the fighter he'd heard about or that she was this interested in weapons as well.

 

“Well I think they'd be a good option…” Gladio said as fast as he could to make sure he could get his thoughts across before Sania started speaking again.

 

“...for you…Doctor.”  He smiled at the woman who was now beaming back at him.

 

“I'm Gladio.” He held his hand out for her to shake and noticed how warm her skin was against his.

 

“Gladiolus, first son of the Amicitia family, right?” She smiled at him.

 

“That would be me,” he smiled shyly, flattered and more than a little proud that she knew who he was.

 

“I'm actually a huge fan of your work!” He blurted out in a tone much less befitting of his usual stoic composure.

 

“I just didn't expect to be seeing you out here. Couldn't wait to come over and say hi,” he continued much more at ease.  Now it was his turn to speak without interruption.

 

“Well,  _ hello _ Gladiolus,” she said, her eyes a little brighter.

 

“What royal business could possibly bring you this far from the Crown City?”

 

“Well…” he began not quite sure how to breach the subject, but didn't have to take too long to think on his feet.  

 

“It's more like a roadtrip with some friends,” said Gladio, satisfied with the story he had settled on.  She seemed to honestly not be aware of the news. Although he could tell she wasn't someone he'd really need to hide the truth from, it was better to err on the side of caution this early on and not attract more attention to themselves.

 

“That sounds fun!” She answered.  “Seeing the rest of Lucis is something more people from Insomnia should get out and do.”

 

“Yeah...you aren't wrong about that.  So what brings you out here? I read in one of your last studies the fr-”

 

“It's always the frogs.” She replied immediately, to which Gladio smiled.  

 

He was glad that he'd gotten over being so starstruck at the beginning. As confident as he usually was, part of him worried the guys would need him way too soon and he'd really miss his chance to speak to Sania. And maybe now they could actually have a decent conversation.  Although she was still prone to cutting him off here and there he was never put off by it; he knew he was just talking to someone who took their work  _ very _ seriously.

 

“I think I'm on the cusp of a breakthrough.  It's just a matter of finding the little things…”

 

“Wish I could help you out with that,” he was mostly joking, but part of him really wasn't so opposed to the idea.

 

“Well now, handsome young men don't offer to assist me that often.  And I do appreciate it, but I've gotten used to working alone.”

 

Gladio felt like he needed to hide a small blush. She said it as if it was nothing, even turning back to the vendor to pay for her new daggers as she spoke.

 

“Well…I-” he cleared his throat.

 

“And unfortunately, I know you're busy,” she added; Gladio could see the faintest hint of a smile from under the brim of her hat.

 

“It'd be a change of pace that's for su-,” Gladio began before he heard a familiar voice call from somewhere behind them.

 

“Sounds like the guys are calling me,” said Gladio, sighing regretfully. 

 

“I guess they are,” said Sania.  Gladio could tell she was trying to keep a neutral expression.

 

“But thank you for your help with the daggers, Gladiolus,” she said.

 

“Call me Gladio…in case we meet somewhere out there again,” he said genuinely.

 

“Maybe I can even give you some pointers with those daggers,” he added.

 

“Maybe!” She said happily.  

 

“I wouldn't want to embarrass you though,” said Sania with a bright smile on her face.

 

Gladio let out a hearty laugh.  He had made the right choice in coming over here.

 

Gladio and the doctor said brief goodbyes before he began the short walk to meet his friends again.  He smiled to himself as he walked away, glad to have finally met her and with hope that this wouldn't be the last time.

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to write this as more of Gladio being flustered but then it kept turning into flirting and I'm not mad about it ,':)
> 
> But as always thank you for reading if you made it this far!


End file.
